A Five-O Christmas Carol
by angelofjoy
Summary: A Mash-up of A Christmas Carol, Twas the Night Before Christmas and The Grinch, all tangled up in Steve's first Christmas with Doris...


**A/N: Merry Christmas 2012!**

**I want to dedicate this mash-up of all these Christmas classics to everyone who have been with me this year through all the crap I had to deal with, even if we only ever spoke on here. This story is a big thank you to all of you for all the support, kindness and optimism you all showed me. This Christmas was very hard for the first time without my dad, but so many of you texted, and emailed, and dedicated your own stories to me, that I can't begin to thank you, or tell you how much it means to me. So thank you, and I wish you all the very best for health and happiness in the New Year.**

**Side Note: there are links to A **_**Christmas Carol**_**, **_**Twas the Night Before Christmas**_**, **_**The Grinch**_**, **_**The Twelve Days Of Christmas**_**, and other little, very traditional, Christmassy things going on in this story. In the beginning it was only ever supposed to be a little song fic that was a tribute to Qweb's **_**Fight Songs**_** from last year. It became a beast, with a full rewrite of **_**Twas the Night Before Christmas**_** to fit Five-O and then visits from spirits of Christmases, and Doris and Steve, it's a beast of a story and I'm sorry its so long, but it's my Christmas offering. I hope you like it.**

**I'll put the full Poem at the end of the story in the event that you want to read it out because it's broken up into couplets throughout the whole story. So it's a little weird to follow, but it's there.**

A Five-O Christmas Carol

_Twas the week before Christmas when all through the house, _

_Doris McGarrett was searching and no help made her grouse._

"Steven, where have you put the Christmas decorations?"

"Did you check the attic?" Steve asked as he watched his mother back slowly out from under the stairs.

"Why would they be up there?" she asked with a huff and straightened herself after having been hunched over for so long. "We always kept them in the crawl space."

"They aren't there because the attic where they ended up after you died." Steve stated.

"Steven is that really necessary?" Doris asked disapprovingly.

"What do you want me to say? After you faked your own death Dad stopped having Christmas. The decorations went into storage, Mary and I were sent to the mainland and that was that. When I came home at Dad's death, I found the house as it is and years of my childhood stored and stacked in the attic. If you want to find your past life, because dad couldn't throw anything out, you'll have to rummage through the stacks." Steve said as he looked bitterly at his mother. "If you are looking to bring back Christmas, I suggest you look in the attic."

"You won't even help me?"

"I have to go to work and deal with a man whose daughter is on the mainland and another whose wife isn't alive to see their first Christmas wedding anniversary. I don't have time to decorate." Steve stated and made his way toward the door.

"Hold on just a second there," Doris stated as she moved along with him. "I may be on my own for decorating, but I plan to bring back Christmas and so, Steven, you will be celebrating the festivities with me. We are having Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve and you are not getting out of it. It is my first Christmas back and you will have Christmas at home. Do you understand?"

"Yes ma'am, but I really don't see the point in having Christmas if it's just you and me."

"It's not going to be just you and me. It will be us, Danny because he hasn't got anyone or if he does tell him to bring her too, and Chin, because I'll not stand for that man moping about all alone on his first Christmas without his wife, and Kamekona and his family…"

"His _whole_ family?" Steve gasped. "Do you know how big that family is?"

"I do indeed," Doris smirked and pulled a folded piece of paper from her jean pocket, Kamekona, his two brothers, two sisters, mother, uncle, auntie, and twelve misc children are already confirmed. Max and Charlie have confirmed and so has Catherine, Kono and Adam – Adam asked to bring his little brother, I said yes and then he called me back and said Michael wasn't interested because he wouldn't be comfortable in a house full of cops as a recently rehabilitated fugitive. Whatever. Your job, Steven, is to get Danny and Chin on board for this party and don't make excuses because your friends are all expecting you to preside over this gathering with me."

"Seriously," Steve asked and rolled his yes.

"Yes, I'm serious," Doris said and put on the biggest, most fake, smile she could muster. "Is this attitude to make up for the years of your youth that I was absent for, because you're acting like a spoiled teenager and I'll not stand for it. Go to work, smarten up, and I'll see you later when you're coming home and bringing Catherine and we'll decorate the Christmas tree like a family. Do you understand?" she asked angrily with both hands on her hips.

"Yes ma'am," Steve sighed and sulked out of the house. "But Catherine is busy until tomorrow."

"Then we'll do it tomorrow."

"Fine…"

"Have a great day, honey," Doris called from the door and waved.

_Five-O were swamped with a Christmas crime spree_

_And the paper work that followed was as tall as Steve's knee._

"Nice of you to show up," Danny stated as Steve walked into the Five-O bullpen and found all of his friends standing around the Smart table.

"Doris issues," Steve stated and it was enough of an excuse for everyone.

"Did I tell you she called me?" Kono asked as she looked at the fatigue that seemed to dance, like sugar-plums, in the depths of Steve's eyes.

"She told me," Steve sighed, "and she has requested that you all be present at her big Christmas Eve Bash – I swear everyone on the island, and their dog, is going to be there."

"Wow, who shat in your Corn Flakes this morning and turned you into Steve McScrooge?" Danny asked jokingly.

"Seriously, I don't want to do this whole Christmas thing, nor do you, admit it."

"You're right, I don't. I don't have Grace this Christmas, but that doesn't mean that we are going to ruin it by being lame to your mom. That's like stealing all the presents from the Whos down in Whoville."

"Who died and made you want to suck up to my mother? Last I checked you disliked her immensely - enough to want to throw her out of your car and into the canal." Steve stated.

"She's trying Steve, granted she may not always tell us the truth, but do you want to ruin her first Christmas back?" Chin asked.

"You make me sound like the Grinch," Steve whined.

Danny and Chin nodded.

"Maybe because you're acting like it," Kono said with a slight tilt her of her head and a scolding tone that screamed 'women will always stick together'. "Adam and I are looking forward to spending the evening with the McGarretts and all of their friends, but I won't be if you're going to complain about it all week and act like a child."

"I'm going mostly to see how much of a momma's boy you've turned into," Danny mocked with a laugh.

"I just don't want to be alone, so I'm in," Chin said with a sigh.

"Okay, now I feel really bad," Steve said as he looked to the eldest member of the team. "I'm sorry, the party is going to be great, everyone is going to be there - including Kamekona's whole clan and every other person my mother has met through us. It's going to be huge - the party of the year."

"I wouldn't go that far," Danny laughed.

"Yeah, we need you to find and nice happy medium between your Grinchy behavior and Miracle on 34th Street, because overly excited, happy, Steve, is weirding me out. Can you just be neutral, at least for the week?" Kono asked. "Put on the happy face for the party, but be the Super SEAL we need you to be for now."

"Neutral, I think I do that," Steve said with a smirk. "Let's start right now, what do you have for me Chin?"

"We may have a suspect to pursue. This kid has showed up on every surveillance video that we managed to gather from every last crime scene. Because this heist crew has become quite prolific in their crimes, it's been passed on to Five-O. So it's our case now."

"More then five robberies, all over fifty thousand dollars, and it turns into a high priority case, and _now_ we get it," Danny sighed with a roll of his eyes.

"It's not as high profile as I'd like, but jewelry, electronics and designer clothing is important, I guess," Steve said echoing Danny's dismay at the case they were now thrown into.

"Last night's heist was at a Mercedes dealership, three vehicles were stolen and again this kid showed up." Chin stated and pointed at the monitor.

"We ran his face though our databases and came up with this," Kono added as she swiped a driver's license and a record of employment off the Smart table and up onto multiple monitors. "His name is Jeremy Collins, he's been employed for three years at Mamo's surf shop, but he's got a record. He hangs with the wrong crowd, was arrested for drug possession and petty theft, and his big brother is in Jail serving a double life for manslaughter."

"We ran his financials and came up with a few oddities," Danny added as he too got into the debriefing. "How can a kid, who works for minimum wage at a surf shop, have ninety grand in his account? He doesn't go to school, hasn't got any student loans, or endorsements through surf clubs, he's just a labourer who has large amounts of money deposited into his account - one last month, one this month and one every month for the last nine months, which is right in line with the heists - if our research is correct."

"This kid can't be the only one pulling of these big robberies," Steve stated.

"It's true, and from what we can tell from the surveillance, he never actually enters the buildings. He just shows up and is caught on camera, occasionally he'll cause a distraction by busking in the street, but he's at all of the robbery sites." Chin explained.

"I think we need to talk to him." Steve nodded.

"I think you're right," Chin stated, "but I also think that we need to get a better idea of how these heists are run. Kono and I will go down to the dealership and check out this most resent crime scene, and well hit up the crime lab and the precinct. You and Danny can go on the hunt for Jeremy."

"It's just what I need." Steve smiled as he turned to his partner and Danny shook his head. "Well happy humbug to you too, Daniel. Now who's being negative?"

_With a suspect in mind, and true justice at heart,_

_The Five-Os split up because the search had to start._

"You gonna be okay, Cuz?" Kono asked as she sat in the car with Chin as he drove to the dealership.

"I'm going to try." Chin sighed. "Malia wouldn't want me to mope, or become a recluse, she'd have me go out with friends and be happy, or try to be happy. She was always like that."

"I know. She was great for you. She had that romance and hope that we lose sometimes in this business. I'm so sorry that this had to happen, but I agree with Malia, you have to get out and our friends are just trying to help."

"I know," Chin nodded as he pulled the vehicle to a stop and jumped out before Kono could continue quizzing him.

"Charlie, what do you have for us?" Kono asked as they walked on toward the crime technician who worked just beyond the yellow police tape.

"Not much, I'm afraid. We're still trying to get in touch with all the dealership workers to get fingerprints so that we can cross reference with all of the prints that we have lifted from this place, but even that isn't going to give us much. So many people come through here and touch stuff that there are going to be millions of innocent suspects. We did, however, manage to pull some prints and blood off of a smashed, locked, cabinet in the dealership offices where the security cut keys are held. That might be out best bet. What I can tell you for sure is that the suspects entered through the back, scrambling the security alarm with some kind of device, and they made off with three, high end, luxury vehicles. We have the makes, models and serials numbers, and we'll be putting out a BOLO on the cars, but with these kinds of heist, I doubt that the vehicles are even on the island anymore."

"What about surveillance on the inside of the building?" Kono asked.

"They knew where all the cameras were and managed to disable all of them. I have the footage leading up to the black out, and you can check that out to see if it gives you anything, but I don't think you'll find much."

"We'll take what we can get," Kono said with a sigh.

"It's the best I can do for now, sorry," Charlie said sympathetically.

"It's alright, Charlie, we'll find something," Chin stated and after being handed the video tapes, Chin and Kono left the crime scene.

_And Danny and Steve, with a sigh and a grin,_

_Climbed into the car for a quick little spin._

"So, Christmas with the McGarretts, what was that like?" Danny asked as he and Steve drove down toward Waikiki and the familiar surf shop.

"I can hardly remember," Steve said with a sigh, never taking his eyes off the road.

"Oh come on, Christmas isn't something you forget. I mean, unless it was traumatic then you try and forget, but you never do."

"It wasn't traumatic," Steve said with a shake of his head. "It was good, I guess, or maybe it wasn't. I don't know, it was a long time ago and I guess I like to think that it was normal, or as normal as things could be – like a Christmas card, or those cheesy Christmas stories. It was like that. We have stockings hung at the mantle, a big – albeit fake – Christmas tree and we were together as a family. My mother never actually cooked, though she passed it off as her own cooking, but she could bake and used to make great cookies. It was what Christmas should be like for kids, until she faked her own death and then Christmas changed. We didn't have Christmas after that. I was send away before Christmas time could even roll around and when I asked my dad if I could come home for Christmas, with him and Mary, he told me that Mary was on the mainland too and I could go see her if I wanted to, at our uncles house, or I could say on base. I stayed on base."

"Harsh," Danny stated.

"It's weird, the bad Christmases, as insignificant as they were, are the ones that I remember because I was alone. Everything about the Christmases before that aren't memorable at all, I just see flashes of them in my memories and then I'm pulled back to being alone, on base, while everyone else went home to celebrate, and then I remember vividly the first Christmas here with you and that horrible, humongous, Santa suit and then last years Christmas with Chin and Malia."

"They were happy Christmases," Danny said with a nod.

"But I'm worried about this one."

"Then it's going to be up to you to make it awesome, if you are worried about what Doris might do."

"I don't know if I am worried about what she would do or if it's going to remind me of all the Christmases before when I had a family and now it's just me and mom, and maybe Mary."

"So you have to have your first family Christmas without your father," Danny said after some deep thought, "and you think it should be like the first Christmas without your mother, but it won't be because your mother is back. I think I get it, but you don't know what it's going to be like so you have to give it a change, and you're not going to be alone, everyone will be there, and I mean everyone! Maybe Doris is feeling the same way as you are, and you have to open yourself up to the change in the way we do things. Maybe she is filling her home with people that she knows means a lot to you to make it easier on you and Mary, instead of having to deal with all the things that go along with losing a parent."

"Do you really think that is what it is? I mean dad has been gone for three years now…should it be this hard?"

"Have you really given yourself the time to mourn your father?"

"No, I guess not, but then again, I didn't get time to mourn my mother either."

"Well, speaking from experience with you, I don't think you deal well with things so you try to move on anyway."

"I deal fine," Steve snapped.

"Okay, if you say so," Danny mocked, "but from an outsider's point of view, you don't deal, you just get yourself on a vendetta and go from there."

"Is that code for don't get me show today, McGarrett?" Steve asked with a laugh.

"Yes, it is indeed! Good job for picking up on the subtleties, maybe there is hope for you after all."

_When suddenly out on the beach by the harbor,_

_Their suspects showed up and made the chase harder._

"Hey Mamo," Steve called out as he and Danny headed across the beach toward the surf stand.

"Aloha Steve, Mele Kalikimaka," Mamo stated joyfully as he wrapped his arms around Steve's neck and hugged him tightly, "So what is this I hear there is to be a McGarrett Christmas Eve Bash, just like old time?"

Steve laughed, "You know about it?"

"Oh yes, my brothah, your mother is right back on the ball with her Christmas Eve plans, don't you remember those days when all she could think about was Christmas Eve and all the planning for one night of wining and dining?" Mamo asked with a chuckle that reminded Danny, strangely, of Santa.

"She did this every year, didn't she?" Steve asked as if some small memory had just popped into his head.

"Every year, without fail," Mamo stated, "but you didn't come all the way down here just to invite me to a party did you?"

"No, Mamo, although I am glad to hear that you are coming," Steve answered.

"Wouldn't miss it, Stevie. Not for the world."

"But we do need your help with a case, because, well we do have to work right up to and probably through Christmas." Danny sighed.

"Anything for you, Detective," Mamo smiled.

"We're looking for Jeremy Collins," Steve stated. "We know he's on your payroll."

"Yeah, sure he is, he's out giving a lesson right now, but should be back shortly." Mamo stated. "You know, with the holiday just around the corner, this is a busy time for me. Lots of tourists looking to escape the snow and spend time on the water, all of my instructors are working over time right now."

"Why does that sound so wrong coming from the mouth of a man who surfs for a living," Danny stated.

"It's consumerism," Steve said with a laugh.

"It's Hawaii," Danny countered, "why am I even surprised?"

"Ah here is Jeremy now," Mamo interrupted as the young man came across the beach, followed by a young couple and carrying several surf boards.

"Hey Mamo, these fine people are looking to book another lesson," Jeremy stated before he realized that Mamo was with two strangers.

"I'll handle it, Jeremy. You leave it to me," Mamo said with a smile directed at the couple, "you can help these two fine gentlemen out."

Jeremy made eye contact with Mamo, and then Steve, and before anyone knew what had happened Jeremy bolted, dropping the surfboards and ran toward his truck.

"That's not a good sign," Danny sighed as Steve took off in one direction and Danny bolted for the car.

_Away the car sped as Danny hung on,_

_And Steve drove irrationally to bring the rant on._

"Move!" Steve yelled as Danny slammed on the break and Steve pulled open the driver side door and pushed Danny toward the passenger seat as he began to climb in.

"Or I could have driven!" Danny scolded as Steve slammed the car into gear and sped off after the fleeing truck.

"I got this," Steve stated, not even out of breath after the sprint and foot pursuit he'd just initiated.

"Of course you do, Superman! Watch out for those tourists!" Danny yelled.

"I see them, watch that truck!"

"I see the truck, Steven, and I'd like to live to see next Christmas, if suits you."

"Don't be so melodramatic."

"On coming traffic!"

Steve grabbed hold of the e-brake and drifted the Camaro down a less congested side street, with the emergency lights and sirens blaring, as Danny held on for dear life.

"Better?" Steve asked as he hammered down on the accelerator again and got the truck back in his sights.

"You didn't just ask me that." Danny growled as he placed his phone against his ear, "This is Detective Williams with Five-O, we are in pursuit of a brown, Chevy truck, license plate number two, victor, seven, alfa, six, heading west toward the Poli Highways, requesting immediate back up."

"We don't need back up. I've got this."

"Did you forget our conversation about not getting me shot today?" Danny huffed and then repeated. "That's Five-O, requesting back up." He added and then hung up the phone.

_The sun shone so brightly it made Christmas fade,_

_And ushered away and plans that they'd made._

"Can you even see where you are going?" Danny yelled as, once again, Steve banked hard to the right and then swerved left, pulled a full one-eighty with the car and headed back in the other direction.

"Now I can," Steve stated as the sun was now behind them and they were gaining grounds on the fleeing fugitive.

"Dear Lord, or whoever there is out there in the world, please let this not be my last Christmas because of crazy McGarrett and his insane driving," Danny said out loud to whoever would listen.

"You're not going to die today!" Steve stated and slammed on the brakes as the fugitive bailed out of his truck and it hopped a bank and flew over the railing into the canal.

Steve slammed the car in park and headed off on foot as the screaming of oncoming sirens filled the air.

"Stop, Five-O!" Steve yelled and was off.

"I'll just stay here and wait for the back up," Danny sighed to himself as his sudden relief was short lived and he too jumped out of the car and followed his partner even though he had just told himself that he wouldn't.

_The chase was fast paced, and soon it was over_

_As Steve had the fugitive dashing for cover._

"Stop Five-O," Steve yelled again as the young fugitive ducked into an open air shopping area and proceeded to throw last minute Christmas shoppers out of his way, with Steve in hot pursuit.

"Why don't you listen to the man," Danny yelled as he popped out from behind a stay building and cut the fugitive off.

"How the hell…?" Jeremy yelled and then dashed left and swerved right, right into a antique store.

"Like a bull in a china shop?" Steve asked with a smirk as he drew his weapon and Danny did the same.

"Please don't break anything," Danny hissed but followed his partner's lead.

"Jeremy Collins you are under arrest!" Steve stated as he moved quickly through the shop, as the shocked and silent store owner motioned very slightly to a large wardrobe cabinet. "Come out with your hands up." He added as Danny threw open the doors and Jeremy came face to face with the barrel of Steve's gone.

"Please don't shoot!" Jeremy stated frantically.

"Hands where I can see them," Steve ordered.

"They are right in front of your face, McGarrett. He's waving them at you frantically." Danny stated sarcastically.

"Book em' Danno," Steve stated, emphasizing 'Danno' more then he usually would as he rolled his eyes at his partner.

"With pleasure," Danny stated and put on the biggest fake smile he could muster. "Don't mind him, he's the Grinch," Danny stated to the store owner and the fugitive as he pulled the young man out of the cabinet and down onto the floor, "and he'll pay for anything, if it was broken because of the chase." Danny added and pointed at the young man who laid face down on the floor.

"No I won't!" Jeremy protested.

"Oh Jeremy, judging by your financial statement - that we looking into already - you can totally afford it." Danny stated as he pulled the young man to his feet and spun him around to look at him. "We also have you on surveillance for six armed robberies. You're a felon now. Did you not get the memo?"

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Jeremy protested.

"Then why did you run?" Steve asked as he grabbed the young man by the front of the shirt.

"That was a Christmas joy ride – I wasn't running."

"Sure you weren't."

"So should I walk back to the car and you wait here with the fugitive or would you like to take a walk to calm down?" Danny asked as he pulled the fugitive out of Steve's grasp.

"I'll go," Steve stated and stomped out of the store.

_Back at the palace, with the suspect tied up,_

_Steve and Danny just waited for the kid to give up._

"He's got a mouth on him, I'll give him that. He's giving me a run for my money," Danny stated as he walked out of the interrogation room and handed Steve the current case file with lists and photographs of all their evidence, which wasn't really that much.

"Shall I threaten him a little?" Steve asked and mockingly cracked his knuckles.

"I'd like to see him cave under pressure, maybe Kono should interrogate him," Danny mocked.

"Let me in there," Steve stated seriously.

"No, let's give him a little time to stew. I ended my speech with, 'you'll be locked up for Christmas' so I want to let him dwell on that for a while."

"That's just a waste of time. He'll give in much more easily if I threaten him."

"I beg to differ."

"What's the matter with you – you've been difficult ever since that chase started."

"And you've been difficult ever since Five-O started." Danny retorted.

Steve rolled his eyes again and then stared at the fugitive through the two way mirror.

Danny started to hum.

"Are you really tying to annoy me?" Steve asked after several minutes of listening to Danny and his very familiar Christmas melody.

"No, if I really wanted to annoy you, I'd sing the lyrics that I just made up in my head."

"Or you could just stop being so annoyingly cheerful, and go do something else," Steve huffed.

"You want me to leave because you are just dying to go in there and do something stupid, but I'm not going to let you."

"Why not?" Steve asked.

"Because, unlike you, no one wants to miss out on being home for the holidays and that's what I've just threatened our fugitive with. Give him a few more minutes and he'll sing like a canary."

"I really don't think he cares about Christmas, Daniel," Steve huffed.

"Fine, then I'll sing," Danny retorted, cleared his throat and began his familiar melody – with new lyrics – all over again. "_On the twelfth day of Christmas McGarrett_

_gave to me_…"

"Oh you had better stop that right now!"

"_Twelve fugitives fleeing, eleven bad guys blasting, ten near death shootings..._"

"You weren't even around any bullets today!"

"_Nine SEALs a swimming, eight heists a happening, seven suspects splashing…_"

"The only splashing was his truck in the canal," Steve protested.

"_Six hackers hacking…"_

"Okay, Daniel, I get it, lets head back to the office if you want to make the suspect stew," Steve said ready to give in to Danny to stop the incessant singing.

"_Five-O for life,_" Danny emphasized and took a deep breath.

"I'll admit that was cleaver," Steve half chuckled.

"_Four fearless friends, three arch enemies, two flash grenades…_"

"We only really have one arch enemy."

Danny shook his head, held up his hand to silence McGarrett and continued, "_And a Christmas dinner with his once dead mom._"

"Low blow, Daniel Williams, that was a low blow," Steve stated, shook his head and marched off down the hallway.

"I win," Danny stated to himself as he turned, still humming, and followed Steve away from the interrogation room.

_But he sat, with a laugh, and an arrogant air,_

_And wouldn't say anything until his lawyer was there._

"All right, you were right, he's not talking. He wants his lawyer. That's all I'm getting out of him now." Danny stated as once again, after an hour of waiting around and arguing the merit of a little merriment with McGarrett, he had gone back to his interrogations.

"I can threaten him now?" Steve asked with a wicked grin.

"Did I just give you the keys to candy land?" Danny asked with a shake of his head. "Yes, go for it. Threaten, until your little black heart is content."

"My heart is not black!"

"When threatening a fugitive is all you can think about, I'd say it's time to rethink that, and maybe your little heart needs to grow three sizes today…or by Christmas, whichever works for you."

"My methods are effective and say nothing about my personal character," Steve retorted and marched into the interrogation room.

_Later that day, the suspect did sing_

_And told Steve and Danny everything._

"All right, Jeremy, you're going to tell me everything you know about these heists, and why you were involved in them, and why you've been payed off by an anonymous donor after each of them, or you're going to be charged with all the crimes and spend the rest of your life in prison."

"Or until you find the real culprits," Jeremy protested. "No, I think I want my lawyer."

"No, I'm pretty sure I have enough evidence to place you at the scene of the crimes, so I'll have enough to convict you of all of them as well."

"Until another heist happens and then everyone will be like, 'oh Five-O got the wrong' and I'll be like 'and they were inhumane in their treatment of me and stole Christmas from me' and maybe I'll even tear up and the media will be all over that and you'll look like a bigger dick then you already are."

"Except you're not getting out after the stunt you pulled today. You have enough traffic violations and assault charges pending to lock you up anyway."

"I'm pretty sure my super, awesome, kick ass, LAWYER, can get me out by Christmas."

"Listen to me, you punk, no matter what happens, I'll hunt you down. I'll make your life a living hell. You'll never be happy again. I don't think you understand the reach and grasp that I have on these islands. You're finished." Steve stated pleasantly with a smile that would make anyone cringe in fear. "Now, we have you on surveillance, just tell us where the merchandise is and maybe we can make a deal."

"I don't know where it is." Jeremy shrugged. "It's just a big coincidence that I was at those locations. You have nothing on me that will prove that I was a part of them. So please, I'm asking nicely, I'd like to call my lawyer now."

"No!"

"Well it looks like he's up shit creak without a paddle," Danny stated as he walked in, after having watched for long enough without Steve getting anywhere. "Because of the car chase this morning, you caused three accidents, one was fatal, and one had severely injured several people. We don't know yet it they will make it. You also caused thousands of dollars worth of damaged, sent a recovery and clean up crew to fish your truck out of the canal and destroy thousands more in merchandise in the shopping center you trashed. At the least you are looking at manslaughter in the second, at least one count, for the traffic fatality, and a dozen more charges filed today. We're looking at eighteen months to ten years in the state corrections facility and that doesn't include the charges that we are looking to press for the heists you've committed, or in the least aiding and abetting a fugitive because we know you were somehow involved in all of the heists – its not a coincidence that you were caught on video for all of them."

"Lawyer," Jeremy stated in response to Danny.

"Oh yeah, about him, I called him on your behalf, gave him the rundown on all of your charges and told him that more were pouring in, and he said he's out." Danny stated.

"You're lying."

Danny shook his head, "nope, so I called for a public defender and they are all on holidays so, either way, you're going to be in jail through Christmas and probably into the New Year. Sorry dude, you probably shouldn't have run."

"I'll get bonded out!"

"Actually, I looked into that – called a hand full of bond agents on the islands and well, most of them saw the charges that you racked up, in one day, and said, 'oh hell no'." Danny said as he placed several photocopied and printed emails down onto the table that Jeremy had been seated at. "You recognize some of these I assume, this one is from your lawyer."

"We can deal right?" Jeremy asked fearfully as he realized that he wasn't getting out for Christmas.

"Deal? The time for dealing is long past, and I got holidays that are backed up – you do too, don't you McGarrett?" Danny asked.

Steve nodded.

"So, I'm thinking, as it's getting late in the day and I have a lot of shopping yet to do, I'm going to take you down to the precinct, have you processed and drop you into the jail until after the holidays. Then, we can maybe talk about dealing." Danny said.

"Sounds like a good plan to me." Steve stated playing along.

"Look, I didn't commit those crimes, okay, I was just the driver. I drove the crew to the spot and then I left." Jeremy spouted frantically.

"Who are the real robbers?" Danny asked seriously.

"I don't know their names. They are international guys, maybe Russian, and they picked me up when they first got here like nine months ago. I was paid once the heist was successful. I just drove them there and depending on the type of job, I picked them up at a predetermined location after the heist took place, except for last night because they stole cars, so I dropped them off and took off. Man, I should have known this was too good to be true, I should have gotten out after the second heist, but if I were smarter I would have known that they would try to pin this on me."

"Did you know you were caught on camera?" Danny asked.

"No."

Danny caught the lie.

"You're gonna have to give us some names," Steve stated.

"I don't know any names; all I know are nick names. There was a Dasher and Dagger and J-Baby and Raush. Raush had an accent, really think, that's why I think Russian."

"Who paid you?" Danny asked.

"Raush, I think he's the leader."

"Can you tell us some of the predetermined locations where you picked them up again?" Danny asked.

"The addresses are in the GPS of my truck."

"Your truck was in the canal," Steve stated.

"Yeah…sorry about that."

_Kono and Chin were called back to the palace_

_But something seemed off and brought on the malaise._

"Do you think he was telling the truth?" Steve asked as he and Danny stood around the Smart table as they waited for Kono and Chin to come back from the crime lab where they had been working on the evidence that had been gathered from the previous heists.

"Maybe a little - part of the truth, but I don't think it was all true. I think he knows where the stolen merchandise is being held. I think he knows actual names and I think, deep down inside, he's leading us on the wrong path, but he did give us something and Charlie was able to retrieve the GPS from the truck and in a flash of good luck, which I doubt Jeremy thought through, Charlie was able to gain access to the addresses, and most of them have some kind of traffic cam, or ATM camera, or something that we can get video off of, but I'm sure he lied about knowing he was on camera. If that truly is the case, then he probably knew where the cameras were at the locations where he picked up his partners."

"Okay, we're back and we managed to get some of the videos from the pick up locations like you asked," Chin stated as he and Kono marched in and joined their friends at the Smart system.

"We need to see if we can get anything off these cameras that can give us names and faces of the other suspects. Jeremy only gave us aliases." Danny explained to Chin and Kono.

"I'm on," Chin stated and took the videos off to his office.

"He also said that his employer, or rather the man he called Raush, had a thick accent and was possible Russian. So what I want you to do, Kono, is run Jeremy through our Kaleidoscope program and see if you can't find him in large groups of people. Once you have the groups, run facial recognition and see if the people he is associating with have prior convictions, or if they have international passports, or anything else that might flag them as suspicious." Steve ordered.

"What if he was lying about that?" Danny asked.

"We still might get lucky," Steve said with a sigh, "and I'm grasping at straws here."

"I'm on it, boss," Kono said trying to stay bright and optimistic.

_Deep down inside, past the want for an ending,_

_Danny knew something dark was still pending._

"Steve?" A familiar voice rang out in the office as Kono worked diligently at the Smart table and the rest of the Five-Os had retreated to their own spaces to make phone calls and sift through surveillance.

"He's in his office," Kono said with a smile as Mary McGarrett walked in.

"Mom said I'd find you all here," Mary said brightly, "surprise!" she stated and wrapped her arms around Kono in a bear hug.

"Mary?" Steve asked in shock as he came out of his office.

"Mele Kalikimaka, big brother," Mary sang as she moved from Kono into Steve's arms.

"What are you doing here?"

"Came home for Christmas, didn't mom tell you?" Mary asked.

"Well she mentioned that you were thinking about trying to come home, but she didn't say it was a definite thing!"

"Well when mom told me she was going to have the McGarrett Christmas Eve Bash, I knew I had to come home and spread the joy!" Mary stated excitedly. "Don't you remember how fun it once was, and aren't you excited for how much fun it's going to be now that we are old enough to drink. It's going to be the best Christmas ever, filled with friends and Joy and everything that Christmas past never had. It is the 'hear and now', and finally we can all be together. It's everything I've ever wanted!"

"I'm glad you're excited, but I just can't be." Steve said sadly. "I have too much work to do, and too many bad memories to hope that things will be different."

"Well bah humbug to you to," Mary stated.

"But I am glad that you're here. We haven't celebrated Christmas together in twenty plus years."

"I know, it's been so long, and it's the season to really teach you to party!" Mary stated excitedly.

"I know how to party," Steve laughed.

"Not like me!"

"Should I be afraid?"

"It's going to be awesome," Mary stated as she turned to Kono, "you're coming too, right?"

"Wouldn't miss it for the world," Kono stated.

"Awesome! Party! Woo!"

"Mary, I'm really thrilled to see you – really I am - but I really have to work. We are in the middle of a case and it's not working out the way I want it to, so maybe you should head home and help mom decorate the house."

"Kicking me out already?"

"I'm sorry - really I am - but we have to get through this as quickly as possible or it might ruin Christmas for all of us."

Mary shook her head, "fine," she said and turned to leave. "It was great seeing you Kono."

"Same to you, Mary," Kono said brightly.

"Danny," Mary stated as she popped her head into the Detectives office, "Merry Christmas!"

"Hey Mary! Leaving already?" Danny asked.

"Steve's kicking _me_ out because _you _have to work."

"Come and hang out with me, you can stay as long as you want," Danny said as he came to the door and wrapped Mary in a hug. "Your brother is being a big old Grinch." He added and stuck his tongue out at Steve.

"You have to work!" Steve stated from the Smart table.

"_You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch,_" Danny sang and Mary joined in, "_you're a nasty, wasty, skunk…_"

"I'll go, so you don't get in trouble," Mary said but plaster a pout across her face.

"Don't give me that look. It only ever worked on Dad," Steve scolded.

"Aloha Mary," Chin stated, and he too came out of his office and hugged the visitor who was already on her way out the door.

"Mele Kalikimaka," Mary chimed and then broke free from the hug and waved at her brother. "Solve the case you guys, and do it quick or Steve may steal Christmas from you completely!" she teased and disappeared out the main doors.

"She's a breath of fresh air!" Chin said pleasantly.

"Sure, if she can stay out of trouble," Steve retorted.

Danny rolled his eyes. "You suck," he stated and disappeared back into his office.

"What did I do?" Steve asked as he looked to Kono and Chin, "he was the one that was sure there was something missing in our case. He was the one that didn't believe Jeremy. He's made more work for us and now he's grumpy?"

Chin and Kono both shook their heads at Steve and went back to work, but deep down inside they could feel the negativity harshly affecting the Christmas spirit that new faces and excited family brought to the season.

_Steve knew to trust in his partners instincts,_

_And soon they were looking into new things._

"Alright, so I ran the Kaleidoscope program and found this," Kono said when all the members of Five-O were once again gathered around the Smart table. "Jeremy is running with a pretty bad crowd, which is a violation of his probation."

"Are there any Russians in the group?" Steve asked.

"No, but two Romani Travelers and a jewelry smuggler from Budapest," Kono stated.

"That doesn't sound coincidental at all," Danny stated sarcastically.

"No, it shouldn't, but even more interesting was what I found out as I looked deeper into Jeremy's background and I found that he and his family moved to Hawaii twelve years ago, from Romania. They have since become American citizens but the two travelers that are here, on Romanian passports, are brothers to Jeremy's father, and the jewelry smuggler is a cousin on his mother's side."

"Jeremy said there were four guys," Steve stated.

"He lied," Kono said and pulled up some more video, "he's the four member of the group."

_And then, in a twinkling, the answer was there,_

_The suspect had lied again without care._

"He's covering for the family," Danny stated as the pieces came together. "He knows exactly who those people are."

"And he's getting into the family business," Steve said with a nod. "You were right, Danny, he was lying to us."

"Of course I was right," Danny stated, "as if you questioned me."

"Guys, check this out," Chin stated as he stepped forward. "Like you asked, I went through all the surveillance looking to see if we caught any faces on cameras in the pick up locations that Jeremy told us about, and most of the time, the suspects were good with hiding their faces and stashing the good, but in two instances, we caught partials – enough for a positive identification to the men Kono has singled out, and after the heist last night, I managed to back track through traffic cams, and look at what I found."

"Those could be our stolen Mercedes!" Danny stated.

"And now for a little close up," Chin said as the convoy of vehicles stopped at a red light and he zoomed in on the windscreen.

"That's one of the uncles," Kono stated.

"Bingo," Steve said with a nod.

"But wait, I've got one better then that," Chin said with a grin, "I managed to track these three cars, through the system of traffic cams on the island as far as Pearl City and a new shipping company," he added as he threw the new business information up onto the monitors, "and, because I'm so thorough, I looking into their financials, and guess who is on the payroll."

"Jeremy," Steve stated.

"Indeed, he get's paid one thousand dollars a month to be a driver for the CEO, Mr. William Rankin, aka Bruno Collins, aka Vladimir Kowal. Jeremy and his family changed their last name to sound more English when they came to America."

"That's one of my two Romani travelers," Kono stated.

_So Danny and Steve went back to the jail sell,_

_And threatened the young man until he did tell._

"All right, Jeremy, time for us to have a little chat," Danny said with half a smile as he and Steve both sat down in from of the tired young man who remained handcuffed to his chair in the dimly lit interrogation room.

"I've already told you all I know," Jeremy sighed.

"Yes, and we thank you for that, it was helpful in singling out what you were lying about, and because we didn't believe you to begin with, we did a little more digging. Turns out that you were telling the truth about the GPS and even though you ditched the truck, we managed to salvage the GPS and look up some of those addressed you'd mentioned." Danny explained and flipped through a rather thick file folder he had brought in with him. "We have since been able to identify your family members involved in the heists, their aliases while in America, and we've flagged all of their travel visas and put them all on the no fly list, but we don't believe that they will be leaving by air, so the port authority, the coast guard and the U.S navy are all looking into ships, and doing extra searches of inventory manifests and boats leaving the islands in the next few days. We've also managed to link you to a new, international, shipping company down in Pearl Harbor and it turns out that you have an uncle as the CEO - bravo."

Jeremy's eyes grew wide. "I'm just the driver," He said but his face had gone white.

"Yes, and an American citizen of only two years," Danny said with a smirk, "but you've been busy in that time, getting yourself in trouble, helping your family get into new business ventures, and bring relatives from Eastern Europe into the states, even though they are wanted through Interpol."

"We've sent officers to your home to arrest your parents," Steve broke in and then fell silent again.

"They had nothing to do with this," Jeremy stated.

"We know they have. Your mother works for your uncle Vladimir in the company as an accountant and your father is also on the payroll as an inventory attendant, and I'm sure the inventory he's attending to is the stolen merchandise we are looking for. We're also preparing a multi unit raid on the business down in Pearl Harbor. On the bright side, it looks like you'll be spending Christmas with your family after all, on the down side however, you'll be in federal prison until you can be deported back to Romania and charged there for the crimes that have been committed by your family. Now, we can make a deal Jeremy because you are an American citizen and so are your parents, but your uncles are all going back to Europe. You could go with them, of course, if you don't cooperate." Danny explained.

"With the technology that is at our finger tips we know exactly where your uncles took the cars last night, so technically, we can just raid the business and the warehouse and hope for the best," Steve explained, "but if you cooperate, like Detective Williams said, we will make a deal with you to keep you, and your parents, in the states to server you time for the crimes you have committed here, and their crimes. The good news is you'll eventually get out of prison, and this land of opportunity will be waiting for you at that time. If not, you are going to be charged, you'll serve time and you'll all be deported."

"What do you want from me?" Jeremy asked after a long moment of silence.

"Tell us exactly where the stolen goods are, so that we may recover them," Danny said.

"There are two more heists planned, one for tonight and one for tomorrow night. They are smaller then any of the others, but they need to get done before the ship sails the day before Christmas. My family has been gathering a list of 'gifts' for their families back in Europe and it will all be shipped, along with my uncles, on The Baltic Baron. All three of my uncles will be with the ship and all your merchandise is already in containers, either on the ship or ready to be loaded. My father's manifests will tell you everything you need to know. He and my mother were going to be home tonight to prepare for Christmas."

"We know," Danny said, "we've already got them in custody," he added as he showed the mug shots that had been taken only moments ago and had been sent to his phone.

"Then all that's left are my uncles," Jeremy said with a sigh.

"Are you sure?" Steve asked suspiciously and Danny stared down the suspect before him.

"Yes, it may seem like a multi-billion dollar corporation but its run by just us." Jeremy answered and he told the truth. "Three uncles and maybe a few goons at the ware house, that's all the resistance you will find there. They have really tried to make it look like a legitimate business."

"What about the ship?" Steve asked.

"It's a legitimate tanker and they have nothing to do with our work. The manifests for the containers that are being shipped through the company are doctored so that the cargo seems legit. They are no wiser and because we're marketed as a luxury company, the idea of having three people travel with our goods didn't seem farfetched. My uncles had guaranteed passage on the boat because they are tied to the cargo, and once the ship arrives, they have people meeting them to pick up the containers and bring them back through to Romania."

Danny and Steve exchanged a knowing and content glance, and then stood.

"Thank you, Jeremy, for your cooperation. Another officer will be in shortly to transport you to the HPD precinct for processing. You will see your parents there and, if you're lucky, and everything goes according to our plan, we'll see what we can do to get you a bond agent before your trail. Maybe you can spend Christmas on the outside." Danny said sympathetically and then turned to leave.

_The truth of the case was very shocking indeed,_

_A couple of more heist got the presents they'd need._

"Why are you being so nice to him?" Steve asked once he and Danny were out of the interrogation room and the door was closed behind them.

"He's young, there is still time for him to turn his life around and be a productive member of society. He'll remember my kindness for years to come and maybe that will put him on the right path," Danny explained as he turned and walked away from his partner.

Steve followed Danny.

"If he chooses to do right by me, for my kindness, then maybe I gave him all the Christmases that are yet to come in his life and I can hope that he will see that. He may not see it now, he may only be bitter and see that this Christmas is ruined because of the things that he and his family did, but maybe, in time, he'll be able to see that he has a choice to make, and the years ahead of him are bright, or maybe he makes the wrong decision and we cross paths again, and I wont be as nice if that happens. It's all about consequences, and Jeremy has to learn that what he does now, will affect his future."

"Who are you and what have you done to cynical, bitter, angry, Danny?" Steve asked.

"Even, cynical, angry, bitter, Danny has a heart, Steven, and he sees that sometimes the spirit of Christmas means more then a jolly man in a red suit and presents for the ones you love – it's about kindness to others and it's about hope that we can change the bleakness that seems to plague our futures."

_Illegal goods would make up their list,_

_And they would escape without being missed._

"All right, everyone, let's saddle up," Steve stated as he and Danny walked through the double glass doors that led into their bullpen and Chin and Kono greeted them.

"We have the SWAT team and the technical squad already on standby," Chin stated.

"And coast guards have located the ship you texted me about and are holding it until the manifests from Jeremy's father can be found and brought to identify the good. The shipping containers had already been singled out by the crew and are being monitored by coast guard for the go ahead to be opened and unpacked," Kono explained.

"And HPD back up has already arrived and started to close off the area for the raid," Chin added.

"Great, Danny rides with me, Kono and Chin you take another vehicle and we'll meet at the rendezvous to take down our fugitives. There are three men we are looking for in total, but they may have hired muscle, according to Jeremy." Steve explained.

"We're ready for it," Kono smiled as she strapped on her bullet proof vest.

"All right, if all goes well, dinners on me," Steve stated and they all left the office together

_But Five-O prevailed in saving the day,_

_And captured the rest by spoiling their play._

"So how are we going to do this, Commander?" SWAT chief Callahan asked as Steve walked up to the gathering, with Danny hot on his heals.

"Danny and I are going to go in, see if we can't locate the men and take them into custody quietly – Kono and Chin will be with us. I want you and your men on the back of the building. I want another detail of HPD officers on the front of the building. Hopefully things won't get out of hand and we can close this down peacefully."

"Does anything happen peacefully around Five-O?" Callahan asked mockingly.

"No," Danny stated with a shake of his head, "but it wouldn't be an ordinary day on the job if someone didn't start shooting at us. That's why we're going in with big guns." Danny added and patted the semi automatic riffle that was slung across his chest.

"I don't believe that our suspects have any inkling that anything is going on," Steve said, "so I think we may be able to take them off guard. Just watch our backs, because we're going in." he added as Kono and Chin came around the building and met up with Danny and Steve. Then they moved off once more from behind the building that they had placed between them and the suspect business.

"You're actually going to walk right in the front door?" Danny asked skeptically as Steve walked on.

"Yes," Steve said and casually walked into the building.

In the lobby he found a small woman, wearing a head set and typing quickly at the computer before her.

"Can I help you?" she asked.

"We're looking for the Misters Rankin – two - and Mister Houlding." Steve said with a slight smile.

"They are currently in a board meeting," The little woman said with a smile. "but if you would care to wait, I can ring you in as soon as it's over."

"No, I'm afraid we can't wait," Steve stated and motioned for Kono to move around the desk. "You either go quietly, or you we arrest you."

"She's hit the silent alarm!" Kono stated as she caught the last frantic movement of the woman at the desk.

"Send in SWAT!" Steve stated as he touched his ear and all weapons were raised around him. "Cuff her, Kono." He added just as HPD officers swarmed in the front doors, "we're heading upstairs."

Two heavily armored men dashed ahead of Steve and Danny and lead the way upstairs, as two more stood guarding the elevators and still more took to standing at the base of the stairwell.

Kono and Chin stayed in the lobby with the receptionist until it was safe and clear to leave the building.

"Is there anyone covering the outside of the building?" Steve asked into his radio.

"We have SWAT on the fire escapes, on both sides of the building, and the back and front doors. SWAT snipers have moved into position on the adjoining roofs." Callahan stated in response.

They moved along quickly, clearing the second floor – with two police officers always guarding the stairwell – and then they moved onto the third. The progress of the SWAT team was heard over the radio, just as the progress of the Five-Os was broadcast as well, and finally, on the third and final floor, they came upon a locked door and all agents assembled around it.

"Kick it in," Steve ordered and two men moved forward and put all of their weight into the door.

"Something is blocking the door." Steve stated.

"There are people coming out of a third story window and onto the fire escape," Callahan stated from outside. "HPD helicopters and agents are already on the move to apprehend.

"We'll wait," Steve stated and for several breathless moments they listened in silence, then suddenly there was a commotion behind the door, a scrapping against the floor and the door opened inwardly.

"Are these your men, Commander?" One of the SWAT officers asked and moved to show three men, clad in business suites and handcuffed, lined up against one wall.

"That's them," Steve smiled. "Well done. See Danny, everything worked out just as I had planned."

"Sure, just as you'd planned," Danny mocked, "come on, Steve, lie to me. Tell me you aren't upset you didn't get to shoot anything or that the barrage of bullets will have to be saved for another day."

"Oh don't be so melodramatic, we saved Christmas!" Steve teased.

"And now you owe us dinner," Danny stated, patted his partner on the back and turned to leave the room.

"Danny's right, dinners on you," Kono smiled and followed him out.

Chin shrugged and smiled, "you did say if all went well," he said and followed the others.

"That didn't work out as I had planned it," Steve sighed to himself but everyone heard it over the radio and laughter filled his ears.

_The case was now ended and Christmas renewed,_

_So Steve took the gang out for some food._

That night, at dinner with his three friends, Steve was content with the outcome of the case that had fallen into their laps - just that morning. One suspect, a little ingenuity and the little voice of Danny Williams in his ear telling him to keep everything under control, and they had managed, against all odds, to resolve a case that has stumped other law enforcement officers. It was all in a day's work for Five-O.

"So with four days of work before the weekend, and then Christmas Eve just around that corner, are you going to find any other ways to ruin Christmas?" Danny asked as he shot a sidelong glance at his partner and sipped at the beer that Steve refused to pay for because he had only agreed to dinner.

"I'm not ruining Christmas, baddies are," Steve retorted. "It's not my fault that people commit crimes this close to Christmas."

"No, that's true, but clearly you are avoiding your family," Kono mocked. "Did you forget that your sister arrived today and that your mother is having a huge Christmas party?"

"I've put it out of my mind, slightly," Steve lied.

"You forgot Mary showed up!" Chin gasped.

"I didn't forget, I just thought it would be good for Mary to spend some quality time with Doris."

"You just though that you would get out of doing any house work with an extra set of hands at your place," Danny said with a shake of his head.

"You make me sound terrible."

Danny smiled. "That's my job."

"Come on, Steve, how bad could it be? Don't you remember anything from your time as a child? Wasn't Christmas great then?" Kono asked. "Couldn't Christmas be great again?"

"I guess it could, but I don't want to get my hopes up. I'm not a child anymore and Christmas has changed so much from when I was young to now, and so has the world. Maybe I'm just too jaded. Maybe Christmas is too materialistic. Maybe I'm just not cut out to be jolly."

"Or maybe you're Ebenezer Scrooge." Danny stated. "The problem is, you are thinking only of yourself, and how you will be affected by this Christmas coming back to you, but you should really be thinking how this Christmas will affect Mary, and Doris, and everyone else that has been fortunate enough to be placed in your path. You've traveled the world, and seen all of those horrible things, and yet _your_ world is so small."

"_Beware, Beware, Beware, lest their dreadful fate be yours!_" Chin quoted the famous Dickens story.

Steve laughed. "Yeah, right, and soon you'll be telling me that I'll be visited by three ghosts."

"Maybe you already have been," Danny said, finished his last beer and stood. "All right, my friends, I bid you good-night." He added with a mock tip of his hat and then he turned on Steve, "_you do not know the weight and length of strong chains you bear yourself_." he quoted and left the restaurant.

"On that note," Chin chuckled and he stood as well.

"I caught your drift, Cuz," Kono added as she too stood.

"Wait, I'm confused," Steve said as he threw money down onto the table and joined his friends. "I'm pretty sure I understand the consequences of my action. What did Danny mean by that?"

"Perhaps, that is for you to ponder alone," Chin smiled, waved and he and Kono left.

_When it was over, and the case was all done,_

_Steve realized he'd been the one spoiling the fun._

Steve walked into his house, and to his surprise, the Christmas decoration has been found, and though they were old and dated, the house looked well enough for having them in it.

Mary and her mother were curled up on the couch, a blanket shared between the two of them and cups of hot cocoa sat unfinished on the coffee table – a half eaten candy cane hung out of Mary's mouth.

"What are you watching?" Steve asked as he sat down in an arm chair and looked to the television.

"A Christmas Carol," Mary answered without taking her eyes off the screen.

"New adaptation, but more accurate to the original novel," Doris added.

"The house looks good," Steve said as he leaned back and joined his family.

"I need some new stuff, but I'll go out tomorrow and do my shopping," Doris said with a slight shrug.

"And you want to do the Christmas tree when?" Steve asked.

"Mary and I were planning on that for tomorrow as well," Doris answered.

"Thursday, we're baking, Friday we're wrapping present and the weekend will be spent prepping for Monday night's bash," Mary said with the candy cane still hanging out of her mouth.

"I haven't even started my shopping," Steve sighed.

"You had better get on that, I'm expecting mega gifts to make up for twenty years of missed Christmases," Mary stated jokingly.

"I could say the same," Steve retorted.

"I got you a pile of stuff from the mainland, Rambo," Mary said and threw a throw pillow at her bother. "I've got this Christmas thing completely under control."

"At least someone in this family does," Doris laughed.

"Totally the good child," Mary smiled proudly.

"Hey, I was out saving Christmas today," Steve retorted.

"Did you catch your guys?" Doris asked.

"Yes."

"And is your paper work done?"

"No."

"I guess you're working then tomorrow too, aren't you," she sighed.

"Unfortunately," Steve answered, "but I'll come home at the end of the day to help with the tree."

"All right," Doris said with a sigh and turned her attention back to the movie.

_And without her knowing, Steve jump in the truck,_

_He knew just the person to bring him good luck._

The next morning, after a restless and sleepless night, Steve got up, dressed, worked out, grabbed breakfast and was out of the house before Mary was even awake. Doris saw him leave but they hadn't spoken since the previous night. Steve found his way to the office, with his mountain of work and his disinterest, and stared blankly at his computer until the rest of his friends showed up.

"Get anything done?" Danny asked as he walked into Steve's office without knocking because his arms were full of files.

"Not really, no," Steve said with a sigh and turned his attention to the window.

"You look terrible," Danny stated and placed the files on Steve's desk. "Were you visited last night?" he asked jokingly.

"No, and what is with this ridiculousness? I was up all night trying to figure you out."

Danny laughed. "And did you come up with any solid conclusions?" Danny asked as he sat down.

"Only that I think you've gone mad," Steve stated.

Danny nodded as a forced smile crossed his face and disappointment filled his eyes. "We have work, to do. So I'll leave you to the file proofing and I'll get to work on yesterday's case. Chin and Kono are writing up their reports and we should have this case wrapped by lunch time." He said as he stood and turned to leave.

"Aren't you going to explain yourself?"

"No, I think it would be better if you figured it out on your own," Danny said and left the office.

Steve merely stared as Danny disappeared. "Why is this bothering me so much?" he asked himself, but the voice of Danny answered somewhere in the back of his mind, "because you are being selfish."

"I am not!" Steve said out loud and then fell silent again as he watched the three other people, through his open blinds, go about their work.

And then it hit him, Danny was right, but more so, Steve realized he was afraid that too much had changed to ever let things be the way they had once been. They would never be the same without his father, but they would never be the same with his mother either and he realized that Christmas didn't have to stay the same. It needed to change and evolve, just as life did. For so many years, Steve didn't celebrate at all and it built up bitterness in his heart, but there were people around him who tried, desperately, to bring Christmas and the spirit of what it really meant back to Steve's heart. Danny had been right, Steve was being selfish, so selfish in fact, and that he didn't realize how unselfish others were being.

Doris has stepped up, trying to make right all the wrongs that she had set out by faking her own death, and she reached out to all of Steve's friends, and all of his family member, past, present and future, to try and start something new out of the memories of something old. She's reached out to Mamo, a man who had been an unchanging and positive part of Steve's life from the very beginning, and so Doris was being unselfish.

Mary, a young woman with her own life and her own future, had dropped everything to come home. She could have shrunk away, turned her back on the memories of their mother, or the idea of having her back, but she didn't and she was ready to make Christmas - this Christmas, the hear and now Christmas – the best that it could possibly be. She was here to start new traditions and pick up old ones. She had arrived to be all that she could be to all of the new people that had come into Steve's life and she was kind and generous to them all. Mary was unselfish.

And then there was Danny, more then anyone else, he had been trying to put Steve on a positive path, to change his outlook on a holiday that had lost its luster for the navy SEAL a long time ago. He didn't have too. Danny could have been miserable and sulking the whole time. He could have said no to the dinner, to being with people and to celebrating all together because the one person that meant the most to him wasn't going to be there, but he wasn't being that dark and grumpy Danny because he wanted to help Steve find some joy in this season and the ones that were yet to come. Danny was trying, even with all the heartache in his own life, to teach Steve how to hope, how to love and how to be truly joyful with the people that had come into his life and done so much for him. Danny looked to the future, to better days, or to the end of times – and in their professions the end could come at any time – and so, Danny was being unselfish in his own way.

Steve realized in that time of quiet solitude, as he watched his friends – his family – go about their daily business, that he had been visited by the spirits of Christmas, and that he had been acting like a big old Grinch.

He shook his head to himself, as a smile crossed his face, and he reached for the files that Danny had placed on his desk, and he dove into them head first. Danny had said that they could be done by lunch, and if Steve hunkered down, he knew he could finish his work as well. He'd need the rest of the day for the plans in his head and Danny would need to be by his side for all of it, because Danny needed to know that Steve understood. That Steve had felt his heart swell as he realized what people were trying to do for him, without asking for anything in return. Danny had left his office with a look of disappointment and dejection in his eyes, but Steve knew that the first person that would see the change would be Danny.

_Danny and Steve set out on a venture_

_To bring home the good from their shopping adventure._

"How's everything going?" Steve asked as he stepped out of his office to find Danny, Chin and Kono gathered around the Smart table.

"We're just discussing what we want to do for lunch," Danny said with a sigh, "all I want is coffee. I need some coffee. My eyes are all buggy from all that paperwork."

"But he got it all done," Kono mocked with a shake of her head, "and so did we. So after lunch Chin and I are going to go trolling at HPD to see if we can't pick up a simple case to carry us to Friday."

"Nah, why don't you take the rest of the day," Steve said with a smile. "Are you ready for Christmas?" he asked.

"My shopping is done," Kono stated, "but I have a mountain of wrapping."

"Me too," Chin admitted. "For all the kids in the family, and there are a lot of them, but I was just going to go and get gift bags and tissue paper."

"Where's the fun in that?" Kono asked with a laugh.

"Where's the fun in struggling with wrapping paper and bows and ribbon and name tags and boxes and feeling like you just want to throw everything at a wall because the tape is stuck to your fingers, the scissors wont cut and you ran out of paper just when you thought you had enough," Chin ranted.

"I agree with Chin," Danny stated.

"Surprisingly, I agree with Kono," Steve laughed, "but I haven't started any shopping, my mother and sister are at my house being extremely productive in their Christmas transformation and I don't want to be the shmuck that has nothing to give on Christmas morning. So everyone is taking the rest of the day off, because we've managed to get caught up, and we'll meet back here tomorrow."

"Quick, ditch before Steve McScrooge changes his mind!" Danny joked.

"Are you sure boss?" Kono asked.

Steve nodded.

"All right, see you tomorrow." She said with a wave and disappeared into her office before leaving completely.

"So, no lunch?" Chin asked.

"We could still go if you want," Danny nodded.

"Maybe another time," Chin said as he caught a glance from McGarrett, "It looks like Steve has plans for you."

"Oh great," Danny sighed and spun on his partner.

"Thanks Chin," Steve smiled.

"No problem." Chin laughed and left the office.

"Why do I have to stay after class?" Danny whined when Chin and Kono were both out of the office.

"Because I need your help, and you're my best friend and my ghost of Christmas yet to come. So you need to guide me because I totally get it." Steve smiled.

"I'm you're what?" Danny asked in confusion.

"Wasn't that the point of all the Christmas Carol allusions?" Steve asked.

"No, the point was to make you see that Christmas isn't just about you, its about everyone, family, friends, being unselfish, giving, fun, joy, hope, etcetera."

"Yeah, I got that, but mostly from you," Steve smirked, "so, because it's Christmas and I haven't had Christmas in so long, and you've thrown many a Christmas fling for Grace, I need you to help me shop, decorate and bring joy to my family."

"Wait. Let me get this straight. I'm helping you spend your money on your mom and your sister?" Danny asked.

"Yeah, and everyone – Kono, Chin, Mamo, Adam, Catherine, Max, Charlie, Max's girlfriend…what's her name, you – everyone." Steve stated. "I wanna be like the Ebenezer Scrooge, but at the end, and you're like my Tiny Tim!" he added as he tapped Danny on the head.

"Watch the hair!"

Steve laughed.

"All right, I'll help you, but I need food and I need coffee first, and then I'll spend your money."

"Deal!"

_And Doris was thrilled when they brought in the presents,_

_And soon the whole house shone bright in its brilliance._

"What is going on?" Doris asked in shock as Danny and Steve threw open the front door to the McGarrett house and came crashing in with boxes and bags a plenty.

"I bought a brand new, pre lit, environmentally friendly, Christmas tree," Steve stated as he and Danny dropped the huge box in the middle of the living room. "Did I mention it's pre lit? No more hassle with strings of crappy tree lights."

"Who are you and what have done with my son?" Doris asked in shock.

"Oh come on mom, get in the spirit!" Steve stated happily.

"Steve, what did you do?" Mary asked as she started rummaged through bags.

"I bought brand new decorations for the tree because I figured most of what we probably have are really dated, but we can still use the ones that are like family heirlooms, and the ones made when we were little and I bought special ones for my Ohana, and Danny and I are going to put up the Christmas lights outside," Steve stated full of excitement, "and check these out, aren't they fun? They're little spinning palm trees, you plug them into the lights and they light up and spin!"

"What are you, like twelve?" Danny asked with a laugh.

"Hey, I'm making up for years without Christmas."

"Um, Steve, how are you supposed to plug them into light when the tree is pre lit?" Mary asked mockingly.

"I'll put one string of old lights on there just to hang my cool new palm trees!"

"And I thought we were almost done with the decoration," Doris sighed, but it was a happy sigh.

"Oh mom, we have more in the truck, and Danny's car, because I ran out of room in the truck."

"What?" Doris and Mary gasped at the same time.

"Don't worry. Most of the stuff, in my car, is his Christmas presents – not decorations."

"How did you get volunteered for this?" Doris asked skeptically.

"I'm big on Christmas," Danny lied.

Doris rolled her eyes. "Well, you boys had better get to work, if you are going to get all these decorations up and your wrapping done."

"Did you know they will wrap your presents for you at the department store?" Steve asked. "I don't have to wrap a thing and nothing is in a crappy Christmas bag! I win at Christmas!"

Danny shook his head feeling the embarrassment for his partner.

"Yes, I knew that, Steven," Doris laughed.

"Why don't more people take advantage of that?" Steve asked.

"Because it's mostly for guys, because women like to wrap presents and put time and thought into things and sometimes a Christmas bag is just fine," Mary stated.

"Well I didn't know," Steve retorted. "All right, Danny, let's get the rest of the stuff in the house and tackle the outside while we still have daylight."

"Would you set up the tree first so that your sister and I can tackle that?" Doris asked.

"But I wanna help," Steve said crest fallen.

"Okay, we'll wait till after dinner," Doris said with a shake of her head. "Danny, please stay for dinner?" she asked.

"I'd love to Mrs. McGarrett." Danny smiled.

_The night before Christmas, the team all showed up,_

_And join Steve and Doris in raising a cup._

The rest of the week passed without incident, except for a failed attempt at a date with Catherine, an attempted carjacking which resulted in Steve ripping out a guy's nose ring, and a case involving a kid, hooch and a kidnapped father. All in all it was enjoyable. Catherine got her big fancy date night, Danny made fun of Steve for days after the incident, calling him double oh seven, over Super SEAL any chance he got and finally the evening of the party rolled around and, as per their arrangements, Steve was at home and lively - waiting for the guest to show up so that he and his mother and sister could welcome all of their friends for the McGarrett Christmas Eve Bash.

"I think everything is perfect," Doris said as she passed through every room to double check the progress.

"Are you nervous?" Steve asked as he watched his mother and she stopped before him, gave him once over, contemplated making him change his cloths, and then deciding that he would have to do because the door bell rang.

"I'm fine," She answered and moved toward the door.

"Okay everyone, the party can start." Danny stated enthusiastically.

"You're the first one here," Steve laughed.

"What, man," Danny sighed and presented his dinner offering. "It is a potato thing that took me three hours last night while constantly on the phone with my mother to make sure I got it right."

"It smells wonderful, Daniel, thank you," Doris said with a smile and moved to place the baking dish in the kitchen.

"You cooked?" Steve asked in shock.

"From scratch," Danny stated proudly. "It's one of my favorite childhood dishes, we used to call it slop because there is so much cheese in it, so I don't actually know what it's really called, but I think its like scalloped potatoes mixed with yams and cheese and garlic – I don't know – but I made it!"

"I'm impressed, its better then my offering," Steve said honestly. "I mixed a bunch of juice, carbonated water and rum together with fruit mom froze into the ice. It's punch."

"Steve was never any good in the kitchen, except when it came to watching the timer. He always knew just when the cookies were perfect," Doris explained as she came back from the kitchen with Mary.

"It's because he wanted to eat the cookies as soon as they came out of the oven," Mary stated and hugged Danny.

"I also brought this for you," Danny said and handed a gift bag to Mary and a bottle of wine to Doris, "Merry Christmas."

"Daniel, you shouldn't have," Doris smile as there came another knock at the door.

"So far so good," Steve said when his mothers back was turned. "I can't believe you broke out a tie."

"Oh, but not just any tie, a cheesy Christmas tie," Danny stated with a laugh as he showed off the Christmas tree with real working lights all down his front."

Steve shook his head.

"I like it, it matches my sweater!" Mary stated excitedly as she pulled a bright red, _horrible_, sweater on over her head.

"Mele Kalikimaka," Kamekona's voice boomed from the door as a wave of children, ranging in age, swarmed in around Doris.

"Oh wow, Kamekona, who are all these people?" Doris asked excitedly.

"You said to bring everyone, so here they are," Kamekona stated happily.

"Oh wow, Five-O!" the children cheered as they laid eyes on Danny and Steve.

"Well, half of us," Steve said with a smile.

"You guys are so cool," a pair of little boys chimed.

"When I grow up, I want to be Five-O," A little girl stated.

"You don't want to be an entrepreneur like your Uncle?" Kamekona teased.

"No Uncle, I want to be Five-O and catch all the bad guys and make Hawaii safe. And get the Five-O discount at your shrimp truck!"

"There is a Five-O discount at the shrimp truck?" Danny asked with a smile.

"Oh, busted," Kamekona said with a shake of his head.

"Come in, come in, everyone!" Doris chimed, "Thank you all for coming. Steve, make sure everyone had drinks. Danny, please help him."

"Yes Ma'am," the two men chorused and started taking orders.

_Christmas came back to Steve and his mom,_

_And for a moment in time all Five-O was calm._

By the time everyone arrived, presents were piled high under the tree and the people packed the house until they spilled out into the back yard – the joys of living in a tropical climate. Dinner was served, buffet style and no one really knew who brought what, or if Doris cooked the turkey, or if she bought it, but it was wonderful. Drinks flowed freely into the evening and as the time passed, men and women from HPD dropped in and passed through, and Steve realized that maybe his mother did have a knack for hosting parties and he enjoyed himself. Everyone got along, no one talked about work, there was laughter and merriment from every quarter and people seemed genuinely happy all through the night.

"And you were worried," Doris whispered to her son as she passed through the kitchen and found Steve topping off his punch.

"I was apprehensive at first, yes." Steve admitted.

"I think Danny might pass out on the lawn," Doris added with a smile as she peeked out the kitchen window. "He does have his tie, tied around his head now and Mary is drinking him under the table. They are both pretty much gone."

"Danny's going to crash on our couch tonight," Steve said with a laugh, "he probably won't remember what happened, but that's okay, because with Danny the past is the past and we have to look toward the future and better things. He's having a good time now, and that's all that matters."

"And you, are a good friend for taking him in as you have," Doris smiled lovingly.

"He took me in. We probably should have never been friends after what happened on the first day we worked together, but he's adopted me somehow and so I will be loyal to him."

"Hey Steve, SEAL team nine…or maybe its ten…or maybe two…I don't know, all I know is SEALs…bah ha, ha SEALs, you know it's ironic that you guys should be called seals when in Canada they hunt those things with sticks, but you guys are like the scariest most ninja of all the guys in the military!" Danny rambled as he stumbled.

"Navy, Daniel, navy," Steve said with a sigh.

"Did you tell him?" Mary asked as she stumbled into the kitchen and grabbed Danny's shoulder for support.

"Tell him what?" Danny asked.

"The seals are here, fluffy, little seals," Mary giggled.

Danny burst with giggles.

"Thanks for the head's up," Steve stated and walked passed Danny and Mary, and their drunken laughter, and headed for the yard where his SEAL friends had just arrived.

"I'm going to put on the coffee, I think it's time for you two to start drinking that, and water, and lay of Steve's punch," Doris stated as she pushed her daughter into one of the kitchen chairs.

"But punch is good," Danny stated, "it packs a punch!" he laughed

Mary cracked up.

"Okay, coffee it is!" Doris stated with a smile.

"Mom, this is the best party ever," Mary stated as she grabbed her mother by the hand, "best party, you rocked this one."

"Thank you," Doris smiled.

"She's right," Danny said as he stood and then sat and then stood and then sat again. "You've done well, Mrs. McG."

"Thank you."

_And in the end, as the sunlight did fade,_

_On the beautiful dinner that 'somebody' made._

Steve walked back into the kitchen, followed by his friends to show them where the food was, and found Danny and Mary passed out at the kitchen table.

"Well, at least it's not the lawn, Danno," Steve said to his friend as he tried to pull Danny to his feet to move him to the couch.

"Great party Steve," Danny said incoherently.

"Oh Danny, you are not going to say that in the morning," Steve laughed.

"I know," Danny nodded, "but at least tonight was fun, and tomorrow will bring new hope, and presents."

"And a headache, and a hangover," Steve said and Danny fell into the couch.

"Don't be such a party pooper Steve," Danny stated with a flail of his hands that almost smacked Steve in the head. "For now we're happy, for now we're together, for now you are having a good time, and you didn't think you would, but admit it, you are!" Danny practically sang.

"It's been great." Steve confessed.

"The food was so good, company was tolerable, we all got presents, I got to wear my tie, and your mom and sister are super fun to hang out with – when there is booze." Danny listed things off on his fingers, "and I didn't have to act responsible because Grace isn't here."

"I'm sorry, Grace isn't here," Steve said sympathetically as he pulled a throw blanket over Danny and pushed him into the couch.

"It's okay, there is always next year," Danny said with a nod and then closed his eyes again and he was out like a light.

"Always the optimist," Steve stated sarcastically to his drunken friend before he left Danny alone, knowing full well, that Danny would be in fine form come Christmas morning.

_So many people joined in delight,_

_The spirit of Christmas and a very good-night._

When it was all over, and as much of the mess was cleaned up, as they could see, Doris and Steve gathered in the kitchen one last time to finish their dishes and marvel at the quiet that had descended after a very long evening.

"Well, that's that," Doris said as the last corning wear dish was placed on the drying rack, "we'll deal with the rest tomorrow morning – afternoon – when we are all functioning again."

"I'll just finish drying these and I'll be finished." Steve said with a tea towel in his hands.

"So, was it as terrible as you thought it would be?" Doris asked as she leaned on the counter and looked to her son."

"It was a good party mom, I had a great time and all my friends had a great time, especially Danny. I can't complain."

"It wouldn't be a McGarrett Bash without someone getting drunk off their rocker," Doris said with a tear in her eye. "You're father used to let loose. This was the one night in the whole year where he would just have fun. Even with all the work, and all the clean up, and all the mess that is always left behind, it was always worth it to see your father happy and with the people he loved."

"You threw the party for Dad, didn't you?"

"Yes, and for you," Doris admitted, dabbed at her eyes with the back of her hand and stood again. "Steven, I know I've made some terrible mistakes in my life, and I have regretted so many of them. I know I can't make up for that, but I can try to be apart of your life from here on into the future, if you'll let me. I wanted to have this party, and to be together, because these were the happiest times I could remember."

Steve nodded his understanding.

"No matter what has happened, or what may happen, I need you to know that I love you."

"I know, mom, and I love you too." Steve said and a genuine smile twisted at the corner of his mouth.

"Good-night, my son," Doris smiled.

"Merry Christmas mom."

**AN: Here is my full Version of **_**Twas the Night before Christmas**_**. Thanks for Reading.**

_Twas the week before Christmas when all through the house, _

_Doris McGarrett was searching and no help made her grouse._

_Five-O were swamped with a Christmas crime spree_

_And the paper work that followed was as tall as Steve's knee._

_With a suspect in mind, and true justice at heart,_

_The Five-Os split up because the search had to start._

_And Danny and Steve, with a sigh and a grin,_

_Climbed into the car for a quick little spin._

_When suddenly out on the beach by the harbor,_

_Their suspects showed up and made the chase harder._

_Away the car sped as Danny hung on,_

_And Steve drove irrationally to bring the rant on._

_The sun shone so brightly it made Christmas fade,_

_And ushered away and plans that they'd made._

_The chase was fast paced, and soon it was over_

_As Steve had the fugitive dashing for cover._

_Back at the palace, with the suspect tied up,_

_Steve and Danny just waited for the kid to give up._

_But he sat, with a laugh, and an arrogant air,_

_And wouldn't say anything until his lawyer was there._

_Later that day, the suspect did sing_

_And told Steve and Danny everything._

_Kono and Chin were called back to the palace_

_But something seemed off and brought on the malaise._

_Deep down inside, past the want for an ending,_

_Danny knew something dark was still pending._

_Steve knew to trust in his partners instincts,_

_And soon they were looking into new things._

_And then, in a twinkling, the answer was there,_

_The suspect had lied again without care._

_So Danny and Steve went back to the jail sell,_

_And threatened the young man until he did tell._

_The truth of the case was very shocking indeed,_

_A couple of more heist got the presents they'd need._

_Illegal goods would make up their list,_

_And they would escape without being missed._

_But Five-O prevailed in saving the day, _

_And captured the rest by spoiling their play._

_The case was now ended and Christmas renewed,_

_So Steve took the gang out for some food._

_When it was over, and the case was all done,_

_Steve realized he'd been the one spoiling the fun._

_And without her knowing, Steve jump in the truck,_

_He knew just the person to bring him good luck._

_Danny and Steve set out on a venture_

_To bring home the good from their shopping adventure._

_And Doris was thrilled when they brought in the presents,_

_And soon the whole house shone bright in its brilliance._

_The night before Christmas, the team all showed up,_

_And join Steve and Doris in raising a cup._

_Christmas came back to Steve and his mom,_

_And for a moment in time all Five-O was calm._

_And in the end, as the sunlight did fade,_

_On the beautiful dinner that 'somebody' made._

_So many people joined in delight,_

_The spirit of Christmas and a very good-night._


End file.
